Tool holder for a vacuum cleaner



Nov. 15, 1966 R. s. WATERS 3,284,834

TOOL HOLDER FOR A VACUUM CLEANER Filed Sept. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

- INVENTOR Robert 8. Waters [2 L; BY ,W WSW ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1966 R. s. WATERS 3,284,834

TOOL HOLDER FOR A VACUUM CLEANER Filed Sept. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-$heet 2 United States Patent 3,284,834 TOOL HOLDER FOR A VACUUM CLEANER Robert S. Waters, Lexington, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,757 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-257) This invention relates, in general, to vacuum cleaners of the type which can be used as an upright or a canister cleaner and, more particularly, to a cleaning tool holder for use therewith.

Vacuum cleaners of the above-described type are usually equipped with a number of interchangeable cleaning tools which require frequent change in order to efiiciently clean different parts of a home or other establishment. As these tools are bulky, as well as numerous, it is not practical to carry them upon the person while using the vacuum cleaner, nor are they adapted to be neatly stored away when the vacuum cleaner is not in use.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a tool storage caddy for a combination vacuum cleaner.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a tool storage caddy for a combination cleaner which can be readily secured to the cleaner or hung in a closet as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool storage caddy for a combination cleaner which can be made inexpensively by simple molding techniques.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out in particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial top plan view of a combination vacuum cleaner incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view taken along line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view representing one embodiment of the invention and illustrating the mounting of a fabric tool and a crevice tool thereon;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the tool storage caddy illustrated in FIG. 3 but with the fabric and crevice tools removed; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational View of the tool storage caddy.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference character 10 designates generally a combination vacuum cleaner of the type more fully shown and described in applicants copending patent application Serial No. 391,- 599, filed August 24, 1964, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention. The cleaner 10 comprises a nozzle structure 11 movably supported by a pair of front wheels 12, only one of which is shown. A dust container housing 13, only a fragment of which is illustrated, is suitably connected at one end thereof to the nozzle structure 11 while being attached to a movably supported motor housing (not shown) on its other end.

A tool storage caddy or holder 14, made from any suitable material, for example, polypropylene, may be produced as an integrally molded structure. The caddy comprises a base member 9 having a saddle portion 16 3,284,834 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 which is adapted to straddle a wheel adjusting knob (not shown) of the type shown and described in applicants copending patent application indicated above. The nozzle structure 11 is a step construction, the lower step of which is designed to carry the tool caddy 14 in a manner to be discussed below. While the tool caddy can be mounted at any point on the top of the cleaner, it is located as illustrated so that the overall height of the cleaner will not be any greater with the caddy and tools mounted thereon than with the tools and caddy removed.

A pair of laterally depending Wings 17 are formed integrally with the saddle portion 16 and are adapted to lie upon and closely conform to the lowermost step of the nozzle structure. Each of the wings 17 is provided with a pedestal or tool holding structure 18 for supporting a cleaning tool 15. The pedestal structure comprises a cylindrical body having a plurality of longitudinal tapered ribs 19 formed integrally on the perimeter thereof. The widest part of the rib lies adjacent the base of the pedestal structure whereby the structure is of a smaller diameter at its top and becomes increasingly larger towards the base (see particularly FIGS. 1, 3 and 5). This arrangement serves to facilitate mounting of the collar of the cleaning tool on the pedestals and at the same time is effective to create a snug fit in an obvious manner.

A bracket 21 formed integrally with the saddle portion 16 is adapted to receive and retain a crevice tool 22 (see FIG. 3). A rib 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) formed integrally with the underside of the bracket 21 serves to engage the crevice tool upon insertion thereof, to thereby secure the crevice tool within the confines of the bracket.

A plurality of channel-shaped fingers 23, formed integrally with the underside of the saddle portion 16 are insertable in a radial recess 25 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in the top of the lowermost step of the nozzle structure 11 and are adapted to cooperate with the walls forming the recess to align the foot portion of a resilient latch member 24 with a latch catch 26 (see FIG. 2). A notch 27 is provided adjacent the latch member which is formed integrally with the saddle portion 16. The saddle portion is further provided with an aperture 28 adjacent the other side of the latch member, the latter along with the notch serving to enable the latch member to rotate about its point of connection with the saddle portion whereby the latch member can be positively engaged with or disengaged f-rom the latch catch 26. It will be understood that the tool caddy 14 can readily be mounted on the cleaner or removed as desired.

An aperture 29 in one of the depending wings 17 is adapted to receive a hook for conveniently hanging the tool caddy 14 with the cleaning attachments mounted thereon in a suitable storage area.

While there has been shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, modifications thereto will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not desired, therefore, that the invention be limited to the specific arrangements shown and described and it is intended to cove-r in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool holder for use with a vacuum cleaner, said tool holder comprising: a base member adapted to be mounted on one wall of the cleaner and having a configuration to closely conform to said wall, a plurality of opposed fingers depending from the underside of said base member, said fingers being disposed in an arcuate array and being staggered relative to each other, a latch member secured to said base member and extending therethrough with a catch engaging portion disposed below said base member and a manually operable portion disposed above said base member, said catch engaging portion being disposed substantially opposite one of said fingers and being adapted to pivot toward and away from said finger from which it is oppositely disposed for permitting insertion or Withdrawal simultaneously of said fingers and said catch engaging portion into and out of an arcuate recess disposed in said one Wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,542,597 6/1925 Bates l5354 2,649,606 8/1953 Fadner 15323 2,825,087 3/ 1958 lMeyerhoefer 15323 3,085,279 4/ 1963 Meyerhoefer 15--323 ROBERT W. MICHEL/L, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TOOL HOLDER FOR USE WITH A VACUUM CLEANER, SAID TOOL HOLDER COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON ONE WALL OF THE CLEANER AND HAVING A CONFIGURATION TO CLOSELY CONFORM TO SAID WALL, A PLURALITY OF OPPOSED FINGERS DEPENDING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID FINGERS BEING DISPOSED IN AN ARCUATE ARRAY AND BEING STAGGERED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, A LATCH MEMBER SECURED TO SAID BASE MEMBER AND EXTENDING THERETHROUGH WITH A CATCH ENGAGING PORTION DISPOSED BELOW SAID BASE MEMBER AND A MANUALLY OPERABLE PORTION DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID CATCH ENGAGING PORTION BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE ONE OF SAID FINGERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO PIVOT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FINGER FROM WHICH IT IS OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FOR PER- 